Sewing machine with cutting means



Oct. 22, 1968 K. POLLMEIER ETAL 3,406,646

SEWING MACHINE WITH CUTTING MEANS Filed Nov. 16, 1966 4 sheets-sheet 1 Konrad Pollmeier Helmuf Frodermann 1N VEN TORS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 22, 1968 K. POLLMEIER ETAL SEWING MACHINE WITH CUTTING MEANS Filed Nov. 16, 1966 m we mm a m e 5 a u m h WM 1 I I ZFIII L ll] 1 J 1 \\.N\ l. .4 m IQ ow n 1 D 8 h} n m a I MHMHH y, n MM u i m. m r I i a Q u k if at E INVENTORS.

Oct. 22, 1968 K. POLLMEIER ETAL 3,406,646

SEWING MACHINE WITH CUTTING MEANS Filed Nov. 16, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig 3 I r l 2 l 2s! I I I 9'5 I I I I 1 l l U I I i Konrad Pol/meier Helmuf Frodermann INVENTORS.

BY 'M Attorney 1968 K. POLLMEIER ETAL 6 SEWING MACHINE WITH CUTTING MEANS Filed Nov. 16, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .......,,,.m/.--. :=.E 11 I I 74 11/1 III! Konrad Pol/meier Helmuf Frodermann IN VENTORS United States Patent SEWlNGMACI-IINE WITH CUTTING MEANS Konrad Pollrneier and-Helmut Frodermann, Bielefeld,

Germany, assignors to Durkoppwerke Alrtiengesellschaft, Bielefeld, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Nov. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 594,771 Claims priority, applicstigisi gig-many, Nov. 25, 1965,

9 Claims. of. 112-127 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE less deflected layer will be set back from the deflected layer.

Our' present invention relates to a sewing-machine arrangementhaving edge-forming cutting means adapted to sever two or more superposed layers of fabric, simultane ously, parallel to the seam connecting these layers and formed by the sewing machine. More particularly, the invention'relates to a method of and an apparatus for the cutting of edges upon a fabric simultaneously with the stitching of a seam and parallel thereto with one of the layers being set back relative to the other.

In the manufacture of fabric articles, it is frequently desirable to stitch a plurality (i.e. at least two) layers together with a sewing machine along a stitch seam which is. to lie proximal to an edge and parallel thereto. Accordingly, it has been proposed to provide cutting means at a location spaced from the stitching location of the machine for severing the fabric parallel to the stitch seam concurrently with its formation. The margin between the stitch seam and the edge formed by the cutting operation may be varied in accordance with 'the particular needs. It has also been found to be highly desirable in many situations to form one of a plurality of superposed layers, connected by the stitch seam,with a somewhat wider 3,406,646 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 rently with the formation of a stitch seam and parallel thereto, whereby disadvantages of earlier systems are avoided and an economy in labor time and efliciency is assured. I v

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus, upon a sewing machine adapted to form a stitch seam securing superimposed fabric layers together, which is adapted to set back the edge of one layer with respect to another and permit ready adjustment'of the degree of the setback and the selection of the edge which is set back. I

These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are obtained, in accordance with the present invention, with a cutting means upon the bed of a sewing machine which includes blade means disposed along-the fabric-supporting table of the sewing machine and laterally spaced from the stitching location (which is provided with conventional sewing-machine stitch-forming means) while a deflecting finger extends in the direction of the fabric feed and deflects one of the fabric layers intermediate the cutting blades and the stitch-forming means so that, upon simultaneous formation of the edges at the cutting means, the edge margin of the deflected fabric layer exceeds in width the margin of the other layer, In this fashion, it is possible to form the fabric edges with a single cutting-blade arrangement and with marginal portions of different widths without interrupting the continuity of the working process and without excessive manipulation of the fabric.

According to a specific feature of this invention, the deflecting finger is shiftable perpendicularly to the fabricfeed table, advantageously between upper and lower premargin than the other so that this other layer is, in effect, I

set back with respect to the edge of the first layer. This has been accomplished in accordance with prior techniques in various ways. In one relatively old method, a pair of cutters are provided at different lateral spacings from the stitch-forming means (ile. the needle and operating mechanism) with each set of blades severing the respective fabric layer. The outer blades can, moreover, sever both or all of the superposed layers while the inner set of blades can be used to set back an edge of oneof these layers. Because of the complexity of such systems, it has also been proposed to use the blade means upon a sewing machine to sever one of the superposed layers while the other is precut to the desired configuration. These systems, in addition-to the disadvantages involved in their complexity and the need for severed handlings of the goods, are characterized by a difficult changeover with respect to the layer'which isset back. Thus, if one desires to set back the upper fabric layer with respect to the lower and thereafter set back the lower with respect to the upper,without interrupting the stitch seam, it is a practical impossibility with earlier systems.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method of and apparatus for the severing of a plurality of fabric layers concurdetermined limiting positions corresponding to deflection of an upper layer and a lower layer of the workpiece fed past the stitching location. In this case, either layer can be set back relative to the other and a rapid changeover is possible without interrupting the continuity of fabric fed past the stitch-forming means.

The deflecting means of the present invention is preferably a finger-like body extending in the direction of feed of the fabric between the fabric layers and co-operating with guide channels open in the direction of this finger above and below the latter and the respective fabric layers. The channels which extend parallel to the direction of fabric feed, are downwardly concave and receive the deflected portions of a respective layer when the finger is respectively in its upper or lower position so as to guide the fabric between the finger and the respective channel wall. To this end, we provide the feed table and the presser foot of the sewing machine with respective guide bodies above and below the fabric and registering with one another while being formed along their juxtaposed faces with the trough. The undeflected fabric layer may pass over the respective trough without deflection into it.

According to a further feature of this invention, the height-adjusting means is shiftahle between limiting positions in which the upper fabric layer [and the lower fabric layer, respectively, are held by the finger in their respective troughs. We have found it to be highly advantageous when the finger is carried by a shank extending between the fabric layers perpendicular to the direction of fabric feed and between the severed edges forwardly of the cutting means in the direction of fabric feed. The finger-like deflecting means, at its free end, is turned at a right angle or close to a right angle to the main axis of the deflecting means ahead of the cutting means and is there formed with a tongue guiding the fabric over this finger.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is aperspective view of a sewing machine provided with an edge-forming cutting means in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of the cutting means, with the sewing machine-partly broken away and drawn to a larger scale than FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the cutting means partly in vertical cross-section and drawn to the same scale as FIG. 2; FIG. 4-is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IVIV of FIG. 2 illustrating a detail of the cutting means with the lower fabric layer set back from the upper fabric layer upon completion of the cutting operation;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of the same apparatus in position for setting back the upper layer with respect to the lower layer; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a fabric workpiece illustrating the interchange of setback functions as performed in accordance with the present invention.

In FIG. 1, We show a sewing machine which comprises the usual fabric-fed table or plate 2 from which a post 3 rises to carry the sewing machine of 3a which overhangs the stitching location S. At the stitching location S the arm 3a is provided with a vertically movable and spring-loaded presser foot 5 whose shank 4 extends up into the arm and is slidable therein. The stitching location S is further provided with stitch-forming means of any conventional type, here represented "by the needle 6 which c0- operates with a stitch-forming mechanism below the table 2. Laterally spaced from the stitch-forming means 6 etc. and from the stitching location S we provide a cutting means 1 (FIGS. 1-3) having an upper blade 7 which cooperates with a lower blade 8 (FIGS. 2 and 3) to sever the superposed layers of fabric fed past the stitching location in the direction of fabric feed F. The lower blade 8 (FIG. 3) is mounted upon a holder 9 which is adjustably fixed to a support 2' of the table 2 by means of a fastening screw 10 (FIG. 2). The support 2' is joined to the table 2 via a bolt 2", while the blade holder 9 is formed with a slot 9' which guides the holder along the screw 10 which, upon tightening, locks the blade 8 at its adjusted elevation with reference to the table.

The cutting means of this invention includes further a guide body 12 in the form of a deflecting finger which is carried by a shank 11 (FIG. 3) extending into a holder 15. The finger 12, in the region of the cutting blades 7, 8 and between the latter and the stitch-forming location (FIG. 1) extends in the direction of feed of the fabric (arrow F in FIG. 2) between the fabric layers (FIGS. 4 and 5) from the severed edge. The vertical position of the deflecting body 12 is adjustable by means of a set screw 15' which locks the shank 11 in the holder 15. Thus the upper and lower extreme positions of the guide body 12 can be set for various fabric thicknesses.

To shift the holder 15 between its upper and lower limiting positions, we have mounted it on a slider 16 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which is vertically shiftable in a guide 18 mounted upon the shank 4 of the presser foot 5 by a screw 26. The slider 16 can be moved vertically by means of a bell-crank lever 17 (FIG. 2) which is pivoted upon the screw 26. One arm 17a of lever 17 forms an actuating member provided with a manually engageable handle 21 while the other arm 17b is formed with a fork 22 engaging a gudgeon screw 23 threaded into the slider 16. The unthreaded portion of screw 23 is received in a vertical slot 24 of a cover plate 25 (FIG. 3) which retains the slider 16 in the channel of the guide body 18 (FIG. 2). A swinging movement of the lever 17 in the counterclockwise sense (FIG. 2) raises the slider 16, the holder 15, the shank 11 and ,a finger 12 into its upper position within the trough 5 of the presser foot (FIG. 3), the finger 12 moving linearly in a vertical plane. Clockwise rotation of the lever 17 from its position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 will lower the finger 12 into the upwardly open, lower trough 9' in the holder 9. The trough 9' can advantageously be formed partly by the blade holder 9 and partly by the 4 I stitch blade 29 on the table 2 in the region of the'blade means.

We have provided further indexing means for retaining the finger 12 in its upper and lower operative positions, respectively, the indexing means including vertically spaced recesses 30, 31 (FIG. 3) in the slider 16 for co-operation with a ball 32 in the guide body 18 which is biased into the recess 30 or 31 by a spring 33 seated against a screw 34. The spring pressure of the indexing means 30, 34 can be adjusted via the screw 34. v

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the fixer 12 can be raised to its upper position to deflect the upper fabric layer v13 upwardly against the wall of the upper trough 5' by raising the slider 16 with counterclockwise rotation of the lever 17 (FIG. 2).

The blade 7, carried by the vertically reciprocating needle assembly, is here shown to sever the upper and lower edges of the layers 13 and 14 and 13 and 14 at a location spaced from the stitching location S'atwhich the seam is formed. The deflecting means '12 is disposed between the cutting location and blades 7, 8 (represented at B) so that the deflection D of the fabric lengthens-the marginal zone M between the edge 13 and the stitch seam St (FIG. 6). The marginal portion M of the lower layer 14 has a smaller width in the region in which the layers are stitched together with the guide 12 in its uppermost position. Without interrupting" the stitch seam St, the lever 17 can be swung in a'clockwise sense so that the detent ball 32 is lodged in the recess 30 and the finger 12 deflects the lower layer 14 at d between the edge 14 at which the blade members 7, 8 sever the fabric. In this region (FIG. 6), therefore, the marginal portion M of the lower layer 14 has a greater width than the marginal portion M of the upper layer. In the region represented at d and corresponding to the arrangement illustrated at FIG. 4, the lower layer is set back from the upper layer whereas in the region d (corresponding 'to FIG.'5)- tlie upper layer is set back from the lower layer. By adjusting the position of the finger 12 within the holder 15, it is possible to vary the width of the marginal portions M and M according to this invention. In order to facilitate the insertion of the finger 12 between the layers, it may be formed with a portion 12' bent at right angles to the direction of fabric feed (FIG. 1) and upstream of the blade means and the stitching location. Furthermore the presser foot 5 and the members 9, 29 forming the lower trough 5' advantageously flare outwardly rearwardly of'the direction of fabric feed so that insertion of the fabric into the trough region is facilitated.

The invention described and illustrated is believed to admit of many modifications within the ability of persons skilled in the art, all such modifications being considered within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. We claim: 7 1. In a sewing machine having cutting means adjacent a stitching location for severing a fabric workpiece parallel to a concurrently formed stitch seam, said sewing machine having a fabric-fed table, and stitch-forming means at said stitching location, the improvement which comprises:

blade means forming said cutting means laterally spaced from said stitching location for simultaneously severing a plurality of superposed layers at a common cutting location to form respective edges along a line parallel to and concurrently with the formation of a stitch seam upon movement of said superposed layers in a fabric-feed direction past said stitching location and said blade means; and

vertically adjustable deflecting means selectively engageable with one of said layers and disposed between said blade means and said stitching location for increasing the margin between the stitch seam and the severed edge of said one layer with respect to the margin between said seam and the severed edge of another of said layers.

2. The improvement defined in claim 2, further comdeflecting means includes a finger extending generally in said feed direction and received between said layers.

3. The improvement defined in claim 2, further com prising mounting means on said sewing machine for sup porting said finger with freedom of vertical adjustment with respect to said table.

4. The improvement defined in claim 3 wherein said mounting means includes actuating means for shifting said finger between an upper and a lower limiting position, respectively.

5. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said finger has a tongue at its forward end extending at right angles to said feed direction and upstream of said stitching location and said blade means.

6. The improvement defined in claim 2, further comprising fabric-guide means forming a trough open in the direction of said finger and parallel thereto, whereby said finger deflects said one of said layers into said trough.

7. The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein said guide means includes means forming an upwardly open lower trough on said table and said sewing machine includes a presser foot having a. downwardly open upper trough aligned with said lower trough, whereby the layers above and below said finger are selectively deflected thereby into the respective troughs upon vertical movement of said finger.

8. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said sewing machine has a feed plate at said location and a presser foot adapted to retain said layers against said feed plate, said finger extending laterally between said layers, said deflecting means further comprising guide means for mounting said finger with freedom of vertical movement on said machine, actuating means manually operable on said machine for shifting said finger on said guide means between an upper and a lower extreme position wherein an upper and a lower layer of the fabric is deflected re spectively, detent means at said guide means for releasably retaining said finger selectively in said upper and lower positions, and means on said pressure foot and said feed plate forming an upwardly open lower trough and a downwardly open upper trough registering with said finger and above and below said layers, respectively, said finger deflecting the respective layers into the respective troughs upon displacement into the corresponding positions.

9. The improvement defined in claim 8 wherein said troughs extend parallel to said finger and in said feed direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1953 Breul 112l27 5/1954 Crowley 1l2-127 XR 

